The Tears of Fire and Ice
by August Rhapsody
Summary: What if the past of Lily and James was different, and Lily was a Slytherin, and a mean one, at that? And what if James Potter, a handsome Gryffindor, sees past the steryotype and falls in love? But will Lily stay with her fate as a Death Eater?
1. Thy First Chapter

Disclaimer- None of the characters you recognize are ours, of course. We're making up some of them. The plot is K-K's (DracosDramaQueen) and mine. Don't even think about stealing the plot, we worked hard on this one.  
  
Summary- J.K.R. never said that Lily Evans was in Gryffindor. What if she wasn't? What if she was the most popular girl in Slytherin, yet she was sharp-witted and often mean? What if James Potter, the most popular Gryffindor boy, looks beyond her icy shell and sees a Lily that easily fall in love with? And will Lily see through his arrogant, perfect nature and, though with much resistance, finally open up to somebody? Or will she leave him, and follow her fate as a Slytherin and Death Eater?  
  
Chapter One  
  
September first was a cold, icy day, and Lily Evans didn't like it one bit. Now, she didn't like a lot of things, but days that affected her temper were the worst. Cursing randomly, the fifteen-year old girl glared out the window of the Hogwarts Express at the rain slashing against the glass. Mumbling more complaints, she shifted in her seat to better position her robes underneath her. Suddenly smiling, she looked down her front at the crest on the left side of her robes. Slytherin, it said, in silver writing on green, with the Slytherin serpent circling around the Hogwarts Crest. Ah, she was proud of her house. It was just where she belonged.  
  
Suddenly the door slid open and two girls marched in, throwing themselves onto the seats in front and beside her. Lily smiled at her friends. The one beside her was Katherine Sinistra, but she was called Kate. She was tall with long, wavy brown hair that framed her pretty face well. Her eyes were sharp and bright, full of wit and knowledge, and always quick to point out someone's weaknesses and faults. The other was Claire Avery, a shorter girl with perfectly straight golden hair that fell only to her shoulders. Her eyes were hazel and her skin was light and slightly freckled. Her eyes were currently observing the space around her, and then they fell on Lily. She smirked, the arrogant expression adorning her lips.  
  
"Hello, Lily, why didn't you wait for us out on the platform? You knew I wouldn't be late. You left Kate and I to find your compartment on our own," she said with a smile. Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, shut up. We're always in the last one on the train." She paused for a moment, looking over at Kate, who grinned. "Where are Jack and Augustus?" At this, Claire smiled but didn't say anything. Kate shrugged.  
  
"I don't know, I saw Augustus out on the platform but then he wandered off somewhere. And Jack..I just saw him out in the hall, he said he'd be here in a minute," Kate said. Lily shrugged and silence fell over the three girls. Just then, loud noises and shouts were heard, and they grew nearer and nearer to the compartment. The door suddenly slid violently open and six boys stumbled in, with one girl trailing behind them. Kate leapt up as one of them fell towards her. Lily's lip curled up with mounting dislike as she watched them disentangle themselves from the fighting heap they were in, and she identified them one by one.  
  
There was Lucius Malfoy, a 5th year Slytherin like themselves, who was extremely handsome boy in expensive robes, his almost white hair slicked back, his pale eyes eyeing them casually. Behind him were Crabbe and Goyle, his two followers, who looked up to him and whom he treated like servants, but for some reason, they never left his side. Severus Snape, a 4th year, was there, next to Lucius, with his rather greasy black hair hanging limply from his head. Jack Lestrange, a shorter blonde boy was there as well, but as soon as he saw Kate, he went over and seated himself next to her. She grinned, and Lily scowled at her; Kate and Jack had been dating since April of their previous year.  
  
Lingering uncomfortably by the door was the one girl, Narcissa Clark. She was tall and willowy, but incredibly beautiful. Her cheeks were flushed, her cheery-like lips pursed, and her curling blond hair tumbled down her back, bringing lovely contrast to the black of her robes. She was a mere 3rd year Slytherin, two years younger than them, but she followed Lucius everywhere, vying for his affection. She didn't have many friends, as she was rather stuck up and incredibly conceded, always whimpering about how the sun was bad for the pale tone of her skin and how her hair was losing its curl.  
  
Augustus Rookwood was the last person to enter, his school robes billowing behind him. He threw himself down in the seat next to Claire before Severus could and pushed a strand of his brown hair out of his face. He crossed his arms over his chest and snorted, a sound of disgust.  
  
"What's up, Augustus?" Claire asked, slipping her arm through the crook of his. He made no sign that he noticed this gesture.  
  
"Potter," he spat. Immediately everyone in the car frowned with dislike. "He and that fool, Black, were out in the corridor telling jokes to some girls, and mind you, they were making fun of us Slytherins." His eyes narrowed and he scowled. James Potter was the most handsome, popular Gryffindor in his year. He was a spectacular Quidditch player, as well as smart and funny, though a bit arrogant. He had had numerous girlfriends over the past few years, but all of them in Gryffindor, another reason why some of the Slytherins thought so lowly of him. Lily had never really looked twice at him, but there were a few Slytherin girls that she knew who swooned over him, despite the difference of houses.  
  
Suddenly the door crashed open and everyone jumped. James Potter himself fell down onto the floor, and Sirius Black, his best friend, was about to go down as well, when he noticed the large group of Slytherins eyeing him with hatred. Sirius wasn't ugly, Lily had to admit that, but he tried too hard to be funny, from what she could tell.  
  
"James, c'mon, let's go," Sirius said hurriedly, and scooted away. James clambered to his feet and looked around, his smile fading. Suddenly he saw Lily and his smile snapped back.  
  
"Good day, lovely lady," he said with a mock bow. "So sorry for the rather uncalled for entrance, Sirius was merely..ah, well, never mind, I don't think you care." Lily just eyed him with disgust, but, surprisingly, she had no quick-witted comeback to reply with.  
  
"We most certainly don't care," Severus said. Severus had hated James since the moment he had set eyes on him, and though Jack, Lucius and Agustus had hated him long before him, as they were one year older, he felt as though he had a special grudge against James, like some unspoken hatred. It was true that James loathed him equally, though.  
  
Sighing, James straightened back up and looked around; the silence was deadly. "Well then, I'll be on my way." Without another word, he turned and walked away, closing the door delicately behind him.  
  
"Bastard," Severus spat at the place where he was standing. "And to call you 'lovely lady!'" Lily sighed and ran a hand through her red hair.  
  
"Whatever, he's just a prat. He doesn't know anything. He just thinks he's all superior because he's a Gryffindor." She frowned. Suddenly, the train began to lurch and slow down. "Ah, we're here already. Out, boys, we'll see you at the table," she said, waving her hand in the direction of the door. They all ambled out, talking in their low voices, getting ready to leave the train, Narcissa shuffling behind them. Lily, Kate and Claire stayed in their car for a few minutes longer, in silence. When the Express finally screeched to a stop, they exited into the crowded corridor and out the door to the Horseless Carriages.  
  
~*~  
  
"Look, there's Potter, Black and that Lupin fellow," Kate whispered to Lily later that evening. The sorting was going on, and they were only on G's; they had a while to go. Lily stretched her neck and peered over the heads of a few rather annoyingly tall Ravenclaws to see the three boys sitting next to each other, laughing hysterically at something. Snorting, she slumped back into her seat and looked around at the other tables, recognizing a few more of her classmates. At the Gryffindor table, not too far away from Potter, there was the red-headed couple of Arthur Weasley and Molly Dickson, a girl who had always been plump and cheery, much to Lily's dislike.  
  
At the Hufflepuff table she could see Bertha Jorkins, a rather dim but pretty girl, and her friend, Florence Marshall. There was Ludo Bagman, a stupid boy, from what she could tell, and then the Potter-wannabe, (as Severus and Jack called him) Peter Pettigrew. He was porky, with a round, always flushed face and a very hyper appearance. Lily did hate him, just because of the way he followed James, Sirius and Remus everywhere, as though he didn't have a life of his own.  
  
"Finally!" Claire suddenly cried from next to her. "The sorting is over, and now it's time for the feast," she said, staring expectantly at the golden plate in front of her. Claire had always been one for eating a lot, no matter what kind of food it was. Lily sighed. Why was she so excited about food? Did she not care about her weight? When the food did appear, and everyone around her dug in, Lily just stared at it blankly.  
  
"Lily, why aren't you eating?" Severus asked from a few seats away. Honestly, why wouldn't he leave her alone? Everyone knew of the massive crush he had on her a few years ago, though she hoped it had diminished. Apparently, it hadn't; he was always asking her questions and yearning for her to talk to him. She thought he was the freakiest boy that ever lived.  
  
"Because I'm not hungry, Severus, why do you think? And, why do you care?" He didn't reply, as his mouth was now full of green beans, and she didn't really care to see those all mashed up if she looked at him.  
  
"Oh, Lily, you have to eat something," Claire said as she pierced a piece of steak with her fork. "Come on, it's not healthy."  
  
"Fine," she snapped, and grabbed her fork. "I'll eat. I eat a lot, you've seen me, why do you suddenly care so much about the state of my health?" Claire sighed; this was usually how Lily acted. Her outer shell was beautiful but icy cold and snappish, but if you really knew her, if you really pried into her soul, you could see that there was an entirely different person inside. She could be so warm and heartfelt, but Claire seriously doubted she would be showing that side of her to anyone anytime soon. It took more than a few civil conversations to see the real Lily Evans. 


	2. THINE 2nd Chapter I KNOW olde english

A/N: YAY! DracosDramaQueen's turn to write a chapter. Most of this was written at roughly 11:30 at night on various days, so bear with me.  
  
"Ms. Evans," the voice cut irately across Lily's daydreams. Her head snapped to attention, not when Professor Zimmermann chided her, but when the Hufflepuffs around her sniggered appreciatively. She glowered at one Gilderoy Lockhart, a good-looking, talent less boy that Lily particularly hated. He blew her a kiss, and before she could retaliate, Professor Zimmermann resumed control of the class.  
  
"This aging potion is usually used for impractical, or even iimmature/i instances." The potions professor cast an amused eye over Lucius, who stared defiantly back. His and Severus's adventures were a great joke at Hogwarts. Never to their faces, of course.  
  
"However, the aging potion is easy to make and easy to detect if the latter is perfected. So please take you notes out from chapter three." Lily let her thoughts wander, subconsciously scribbling a note down now and then. She finally settled on an unsettling subject: James Potter and his posse of Gryffindors. Lily grimaced at the thought of it.  
  
James was gathering more and more followers, and not just females, either. His popularity was almost as inflamed as his ego. There were even, (though it caused Lily deepest shame), iSlytherin/i girls that swooned over the arrogant Gryffindor. Mostly first and second years, Slytherins Lily and iheri group hadn't gotten hold of yet.  
  
At this thought Lily allowed herself a fierce grin. However powerful James was, Lily's friends would always be there. And at the head of the powerful Slytherins was a powerful queen, a one Lily Evans. And she knew it, too.  
  
A screech jolted Lily painfully back to the dungeons. A bluncdering Hufflepuff had managed to set her hair on fire. Lily clutched Claire forr support, chest heaving with bouts of laughter that filled the room and mingled with the other Slytherins'. On her right, Clair was giggling with her boyfriend and Kate was pounding the table with mirth on her left.  
  
Irritated, Professor Zimmermann doused the flames atop the weeping Hufflepuff's head, setting off several large bangs to calm the frantic Hufflepuffs and quiet the laughing Slytherins. Arms akimbo, she advanced on the poor girl, who was still sobbing hysterically and batting at her head.  
  
"That's enough, Miss Starr. I said, that's ienough/i!" she caught the girl's arm, and the Hufflepuff stopped at once, sniffling. Lily stifled another spurt of giggling; Christina Starr's once blonde hair was completely black. One side was just above the shoulder and in uneven, jagged lines. The other had burned almost to the scalp, leaving her looking like some animal had attacked her head. she caught the girl's arm, and the Hufflepuff stopped at once, sniffling. Lily stifled another spurt of giggling; Christina Starr's once blonde hair was completely black. One side was just above the shoulder and in uneven, jagged lines. The other had burned almost to the scalp, leaving her looking like some animal had attacked her head. Picturing a rabid monkey clawing the blonde locks away was too much for Lily, she let out a derisive snort.  
  
The already annoyed Professor advanced on Lily. Her nostrils flared dangerously, and she pointed her wand directly at Lily's nose, making the girl go cross-eyed in attempt to see the point.  
  
"Take Miss Starr to the hospital wing. Now. Go." Lily mouthed wordlessly at the Professor. This was worse than detention! Being caught in public with a Hufflepuff that wasn't a male vying for Lily's affection. it was almost too much to bare.  
  
"I said inow/i, Miss Evans." Lily forced a smile at the angry Professor and shot a look of venom toward Christina. At their retreating backs, Professor Zimmermann yelled in an all too sarcastic voice "and hurry!"  
  
Lily idid/i hurry up the steps, keeping way ahead of the gasping Christina. She cursed the school for having so many staircases and so many rooms and so much goddammed ispace/i. The Hufflepuff sniffled and called out:  
  
"Would you mind slowing down? I honestly don't think Professor Zimmermann will care if you're a little late." Slowly, Lily turned, glared at Christina, and sped up.  
  
Rounding a corner, she hit something solid and fell down in a heap. In a reflex she whipped out her wand and cursed the air in front of her (which, from her position on her back, was the ceiling). The curse rebounded as it hit the stone, and Lily barely had time to roll out of its way as the stream of purple sparks rocketed down and was absorbed by the carpet. Breathing heavily, she assessed her body parts: all unhurt, if a little bruised.  
  
Lily heard a groan and immediately got up, wand at the ready. Squinting down the hallway, she saw and heard nothing, except the approaching footsteps of Christina. Glowering at first the empty corridor and then the now-present Hufflepuff, Lily growled and continued down the hall, wand out.  
  
James lay motionless, willing the throb in his head way. It ached fiercely, even though it was somewhat cushioned by the carpet beneath him. Inch by inch he lifted himself, checked the hallway, and, certain no one was there, stood. His invisibility cloak slid off him, he let it lie there as the corridor spun.  
  
Satisfied the ground beneath him was solid, he reached up toward the painting next to him. It was a still-life, a basket of fruit.  
  
Another fit of dizziness overtook James, and he clutched his head in agony. He looked up at the inviting pear, scowled, and knew he had to go to the Hospital wing for headache medicine.  
  
He made his way across the empty hallway, mercifully silent because everyone but the fifth-year Gryffindors were in class right now. To spoil the mood, however, Lily Evans rounded the corner with a furious look on her face. The corridor was narrow, and their shoulders brushed slightly as they passed. Lily pulled away, appalled. James, head too hurt to think up a jibe, just grumbled and went on his way.  
  
Lily flounced down the hallway in a rage. Her encounter with James, however brief, did nothing to improve her mood. So preoccupied was her mind that in the isame/i spot she had fallen before, she now tripped.  
  
Throwing her hands out, she looked at what had entangled her feet. It was long and silvery, and with a jolt Lily realized it was an invisibility cloak. Brushing herself off, she picked the cloak up. Running the fluid material through her hands, a slow smile of understanding crept across Lily's face.  
  
A/N: Who loves cliffies? I sure do! *cheers wildly, realizes no one is clapping along, and quiets* Well, you'll just have to wait for BlondieChild's third chapter. don't come after ime/i if she doesn't update fast enough. 


	3. Well poo I can PRETEND that I know olde ...

Disclaimer- Nothing you recognize is ours.  
  
Authors Note- Okay, back to BlondieChild's writing! Okay, so many of you in your reviews alerted us that Lily indeed was in Gryffindor, but you know what? That's too bad. We're changing it. We think it's original. So enjoy, if you will.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Lily stared at the cloak in her hands for a moment, her brain not really registering what it was. But then a sly grin crept onto her face and she whirled around to see Christina. She was standing there, whimpering, fingering what was left of her hair delicately.  
  
"You go on to the hospital wing, you don't need my help to find it," Lily said flatly, wadding the cloak up and stuffing it under her robes, making a rather unnatural bulge in her side.  
  
"What? But Professor Zimmermann said you had to escort me.."  
  
"Yeah, well I don't care. Don't you dare tell the Professor that I didn't escort you, you hear?" Lily asked roughly, glaring at the girl with her sharp, commanding green eyes. Christina quivered and nodded, turning and racing down the hallway in the other direction.  
  
Lily turned and stared in the direction that James had just gone. He had just dropped an invisibility cloak. An invisibility cloak! What was he doing with one of those? And him, especially? He was just a pathetic Gryffindor. He shouldn't have need for it. Ah, well, she shouldn't have to fret herself over that. Though she thoroughly enjoyed nosing into other people's business, she decided to let the subject drop and just enjoy what she had just taken captive.  
  
Yes, she had an invisibility cloak hidden under her shirt! Reaching up, she pulled it out and let the liquid-like material run through her fingers, and she smiled again.  
  
Lily draped the cloak over her head and immediately a pang of excitement rushed through her veins. She was free! There she was, standing in the hallway near her classroom, and no one could see her. She could go anywhere; sneak into any class, eavesdrop on any conversation, and no one would know that she was there. It was such an incredible feeling, and she began walking slowly, tiptoeing across the floors.  
  
Just then, there was a loud bang and Lily sprang back towards the wall, eyes wide, looking through the material. The door to her classroom swung open and Professor Zimmermann marched out, her gray hair in disarray.  
  
"Where is that girl?" she hissed. Lily knew she was talking about her. "It doesn't take that long to go to the Hospital Wing!" Lily sighed silently, sliding against the wall as the Professor entered again into her classroom. Her freedom seeped out of her as though a leech was sucking it slowly out. She would have to wait until another time to use the invisibility cloak. And who knows what she might use it for? Pulling it off, she wadded it again underneath her, sliding it around her stomach so that it looked relatively normal. She opened the door and marched into the room, walking straight to her seat, not looking at the Professor.  
  
"Evans? Why did it take you so long?" Professor Zimmermann asked her, peering through her spectacles. Lily seated herself down and looked up at the old woman.  
  
"I stayed in the Hospital Wing for a few moments, Professor, just to make sure that Christina was all right," she lied, plastering a polite smile onto her face. The old woman sighed and nodded, waving her hand.  
  
"Yes, yes, all right. Evans- copy the notes from Avery there, she has them all," she said, turning her back onto the class and beginning to drone on. Lily turned to Claire and Kate.  
"Where'd you go, if you didn't go to the Hospital Wing?" Claire asked in a low voice, handing Lily her piece of parchment. Lily tried not to laugh; Kate and Claire always knew when she was lying. They could see right through her, and perhaps that's why she liked having them as friends so much.  
  
"Tell you later," she whispered back, smiling despite herself. Ah, what a victory. She now had control of the entire Hogwarts if she wanted to. She was surprised that James had something of such power and importance. Where on earth had he gotten it?  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I wonder, do you think I would look good as a blonde?" Kate asked that night, as she stood in front of her full-length mirror, her hair piled on top of her head. Lily laughed and Claire shook her head.  
  
"Certainly not, Sinistra," Claire said. It was strange- she often called people by their last names, just to annoy them. But luckily, she only did it very rarely. Perhaps, the other times, she just forgot. If she did do it all the time though, Lily would have to disown her as a friend or something. "You look just fine the way you are." Kate turned around and grinned her huge grin, and Lily laughed. It was nine o'clock, and dinner had ended a while ago. The girls had just finished doing their homework in the common room and had retreated to their dorm.  
  
"Did I show you guys what I picked up on the floor today when I bumped into James?" Claire shook her head and Kate let her hair fall back to her shoulders, running over.  
  
"No, what?" she asked excitedly. Lily reached into her chest, where she had thrown it after their class, and pulled it out.  
  
"An invisibility cloak," she said slowly. The two girls gasped, Claire squealing with excitement.  
  
"Omigosh! Did James have it or something?"  
  
"Yeah," Lily said, draping it over her legs. Her lap completely disappeared, and Claire shrieked with surprise.  
  
"Shut up, Avery!" Kate snapped, and Claire scowled. "What are you going to do with it?" At this, Lily smirked, pulling the cloak off, slowly fingering it.  
  
"I'm going to use it as blackmail, of course," she said smoothly, grinning wickedly. Claire's eyes widened.  
  
"Ooh, how, Lily?" Lily rolled her eyes before answering.  
  
"Easy. I'm going to somehow send Potter a note, to meet me up at the Astronomy tower or something at midnight tomorrow night. I'll say that I have something that he'll want. This cloak is special to him, he freaked out when he saw that he had lost it this afternoon." She paused, trying not to laugh. "So, I guess I'll just..emerge from the shadows and try to get some info out of him," was all she said. Kate raised her eyebrows.  
  
"What good will that do?"  
  
"It won't do any good, Kate, it'll just be fun!" she snapped, and Kate drew back, shrugging. "Can we come?" Claire asked timidly.  
  
"No. Just me, I'm going to do this. I'll tell you guys all about it later, but it's just me who's going," she said flatly. Claire frowned and began to twiddle with a strand of hair with her finger, Kate sighed and rolled off the bed.  
  
"Well, Lily, have fun. I expect you'll be sending him an owl to his table tomorrow morning?" Kate asked, turning around to face them. Lily raised her eyebrows, looking very pensive, and then nodded, grinning.  
  
"Yes, that's perfect, Kate. In fact, I'll go up to the owlery right now," she stated, getting up and going towards the door.  
  
"In the cloak though, right?" Claire asked, rather stupidly. Kate made a sound of annoyance; she had been hoping to snatch it while Lily was gone and roam around for a while, but Claire had to ruin the possibility. Lily turned back around and grabbed it.  
  
"Yes, in the cloak. Thanks, Avery." And with that, she darted out the door and down the stairs into the common room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"It's gone," James hissed at Sirius that night at dinner. Sirius Black, James' best friend in the entire world, raised his head, taking another big gulp of pumpkin juice.  
  
"What's gone?" he asked, dishing out some more potatoes onto his plate. James, looking terribly distraught, ran a hand absentmindedly through his messy black hair.  
  
"The cloak, Sirius! The cloak is gone!" Sirius dropped his fork with a clatter, then looked around hurriedly to see if anyone had noticed. Everyone was still deeply occupied with their food.  
  
"It's gone?" he gasped, brown eyes widening. James nodded. "But...how? Did you lose it?"  
  
"I don't know," James said lowly. Just then, their other best friend Remus Lupin entered the Great Hall, saw them, and made his way over. He was pale, shaky and looked ill, as he usually did, after or before the full moon.  
  
"Hey, guys," he said, forcing a smile, seating himself next to James. Then, seeing their faces, he raised his eyebrows. "Who died?" he asked jokingly. Neither James nor Sirius smiled.  
  
"My cloak is gone," James said in an undertone. At first, Remus didn't really understand, but then his eyes widened and he stared at James.  
  
"Did you lose it?"  
  
"That's just what Sirius said," James said. "No, I don't think I lose it. I think that today...you see, I guess I bumped into someone. I didn't really see who it was, though, which was really annoying, and I don't really remember if I just left it there or if the person I bumped into took it..I certainly hope not, that would be awful." His face fell and he stared blankly at his food. Both Sirius and Remus just sat there, silent, until finally Remus spoke.  
  
"But that means that...tomorrow night, you can't sneak out-"  
  
"I know, Remus!" James snapped. He was speaking, of course, about Remus' monthly transformations into a werewolf, and sometimes, Sirius and James escorted him out to the Whomping Willow under the protection of the invisibility cloak, but now, Remus would have to go alone.  
  
"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait until it shows up...maybe Dumbledore will find it or something. You know how things like that happen, Dumbledore'll just show up with it, smiling and his eyes twinkling all mysteriously," Sirius said softly. James sighed and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, whatever, we'll just wait. Maybe something'll happen. God, I sure as hell hope so," he murmured, turning his face back to his food and beginning to eat some more pork.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next morning at breakfast, James was feeling a little better, though rather guilty, seeing as he and Sirius couldn't go out with Remus the night before. Now, everyone just assumed that Remus was ill again. It was easy to believe; Remus had always been thin and pale, with bags under his eyes and looking as though he never got enough sleep. So, James doubted anyone suspected anything. Or so he hoped.  
  
The owl post came in as usual, with the many types of owls swooping in through the huge windows, flying low when they saw their owner to drop a letter or parcel. James didn't really expect anything, neither did Sirius, so they didn't even look up. However, very suddenly, a simple brown barn owl landed directly in front of James. Yelling, James jerked his head up in surprise, staring at it. It flapped its wings impatiently, holding out its leg. James recognized it as a school owl, and pulled off the letter.  
  
"Who's it from?" Sirius asked, stuffing some bacon into his mouth. James shrugged and unraveled the parchment, and read it aloud.  
  
James Potter, I believe I have something that you are currently sorely missing, and I believe you want it back. To re-obtain your property, meet me at midnight tonight in the East Astronomy Tower. Come alone, as will I. You may bring your wand, but you will be in no danger.  
  
"It's not signed," James said, staring at it, rereading it. Sirius put his elbows on the table, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Who would send a letter like that? Dumbledore, do 'ya think?" James shook his head and pocketed the parchment.  
  
"No, if it was Dumbledore, he would just send it to my room or something. He wouldn't ask me to meet me somewhere, that's just weird." Sirius nodded and looked around. To his left sat Richard Longbottom, a rather 4th year who was rather clumsy, though Herbology and Charms were his good points. He was talking to some pretty girl who had long blonde hair and was fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously. James rolled his eyes and grabbed his bag.  
  
"Well, I think we should be off to Charms. Remember to take extra good notes so we can give them to Remus when he-erm, in the hospital wing when we go meet him there. You know he hates it when we don't do our schoolwork." Sirius nodded and they stood to go. Immediately, two sisters named Cheryl and Julie Jacobs rushed behind them, giggling. James hated them more than anything, but Sirius thought they were rather funny. Cheryl had an awfully obvious crush on James and Julie had one on Sirius.  
  
"Yeah," Sirius said, trying not to laugh at the girls trailing behind them. "Off to Charms." And off they walked through the halls, James with mounting curiosity about this mysterious person who had his cloak and why on earth they would want to meet in secret.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Authors Note- Sorry for the long chapter, folks, but at least that's not a cliffie. Unless you consider it one. I don't think it's one. But, ah, well, leave a review, and we'll be forever in your debt. Thanks!! ~BlondieChild, who wrote this chapter. 


	4. Sadly, you can't

Disclaimer - Read every odd chapter, I'm not güd at these things.  
  
Author's Note - I KIND of copied part of this idea off of a broadway play. actually, only one thing. actually, only a word. but it's still there, and I'm still guilty! Sic no lawyers on me. (It was called Thouroughly Modern Millie. See it!)  
  
Lily tapped her foot impatiently, the night air swallowing the minute noise. She checked her blinking watch, a present from her father. It was 12:03.  
  
She sighed with annoyance. James was late. Of course, Lily couldn't really expect a Gryffindor to be punctual, but she had so hoped he valued his cloak above all this. Perhaps he didn't care at all, he was after all a very rich, snotty, pureblood.  
  
At the thought of this Lily shivered despite the unusual warmness of the September night. It wasn't his money that bothered her, but rather his blood. Lily's weakness, one would say. For her darkest secret was that she, Lily Evans, Slytherin extraordinaire, leader of the pack at Hogwarts, was muggle-born.  
  
Mudblood mudblood mudblood! She reinforced the word with power in her mind, bitterly reminding herself of the truth only she and Kate and Claire knew. Even to her best friends, with whom she would trust her life, it had been a struggle to come out with Lily's blood type at last. Unlike the rest of the Slytherins, she didn't enact in "blood huntings," in which her friends would torment muggle-borns and half-bloods until they burst into tears, or (if they retaliated) real blood. Whenever anyone would bring up the subject of her parents, she would become vague and distant, or vicious and defensive. It all depended on the mood she was in.  
  
The sound of approaching footsteps jolted Lily out of her unpleasant thoughts. She flattened against the astronomy tower wall, forgetting that she was invisible. James appeared at last, cautiously looking over the trapdoor and pushing it up, jumping out. He carefully lay the door down, the wood making a slight "whump" as it dropped into place. Dusting himself off, he checked HIS watch and sighed with irritation.  
  
'The nerve!' thought Lily, straightening from beneath the cloak. She couldn't help but deny herself one nasty notion as James strained to lift the heavy door into place. 'He is amazingly fit.' As soon as she considered it, she inwardly scolded herself. He was a GRYFFINDOR!  
  
"James." her voice was low and husky, giving it a wonderfully mysterious sound. James jumped slightly and whipped out his wand, squinting into the darkness.  
  
"You have come for your cloak." It wasn't a question. At the word cloak, however, James relaxed, suddenly realizing that the mystery woman was underneath it.  
  
"Come on now, hon. Don't worry about the whole cloak thing. I'm sure we can work it out, say, over breakfast.?" he gave a roguish wink where, in his estimation, the voice was coming from. He missed Lily by about eight inches.  
  
"Prig," said Lily, dropping her voice. James's face turned an ugly color.  
  
"Oh, it's you," he said, in measured levels of contempt. "You know, I could just vault curses into the night, one of them's bound to hit you." He smiled triumphantly, his handsome features turning, (if possible) MORE perfect. For a small moment, a VERY small moment, Lily wished he wasn't a Gryffindor.  
  
"And wake the whole school doing so." It was Lily's turn to smile. "Remember, you're not the one under the cloak." James seemed to have reached the same conclusion. He struggled for a moment, and then dropped his shoulders, sighing.  
  
"What do you want?" he said, in a tone of great remorse. Lily let the cloak slide off her face, the moonlight falling directly on her features. A lock of hair strayed from beneath her loosely tied red hair as her legs involuntarily took her toward James.  
  
"I don't know." It was the truth, but James thought Lily was toying with him. He tried not to concentrate on her perfect eyes, her perfect lips, and that perfect strand of hair falling across her face as he folded his arms, wand sticking out the side. She was extremely beautiful, but still a Slytherin. James wasn't one to go on looks alone.  
  
"Stop it, Evans. You know what you want, and I'll be damned if I'll let you sit her and play with me like you do all your other suitors." He kept his voice level, but it was cunningly laced with a warning. Lily's mouth twisted into a scowl, her full lips as pretty as ever.  
  
"Well, well, well, Potter. You think this is a game of cat and mouse? Guess who the mouse is." She moved closer, her vivid emerald eyes blazing with green fire. When there noses almost touched, she hissed silently, greatly amused.  
  
"How mature," James' voice, loaded with sarcasm, forced himself to keep Lily's passionate glare and not flinch. For a moment time was frozen, Lily's head and James' body motionless. Lily broke the silence first.  
  
"Gryffindor."  
  
"Slytherin."  
  
"Prig."  
  
"Priss."  
  
"Womanizer."  
  
"Whore."  
  
"Bas-" Lily was cut short as James drew her into an embrace, his lips and hers firmly against each other's. She struggled for a moment, and then relaxed, letting the cloak slip off of her. After a time, James pulled back, face white as a sheet.  
  
"I didn't mean- Lily, I-" mentally shaking herself, Lily slapped James as hard as she could.  
  
"-tard" she finished, as if nothing had happened. Yet she made no move to stop James as he grabbed his cloak and ran down the stairs. Lightly brushing her lips with her fingertips, she shook her head violently and made her own way down the steps, shaking ever so slighty.  
  
A/N: OH MY GOODNESS! I had soooo much fun writing this chapter. I'm on a roll, I tell you. Two updates on the same day! Ah, the benefits of two writers. Until chapter six, my lurvleys, this is DracosDramaQueen signing off. *salutes* 


	5. What are you trying to do, stifle my fre...

Disclaimer- Not ours. The plot (wait, there's a plot?) is ours though, so you can't steal it.  
  
Authors Note- WOW sorry that update took so long!! Mucho apologies!!! (from BlondieChild, whose writing this now)  
  
Chapter Five  
  
James broke into a jog a little ways down the hallway, his invisibility cloak being squeezed in his hand, his cheek still stinging from the slap. He could not believe he just did that. He just kissed Lily Evans, his complete enemy, and a Slytherin! What was he thinking? What had compelled him to do that? And god, he probably terrified her out of her wits..she had slapped him, after all, and had a right to do so.  
  
Shuddering, he rounded a corner and went down three flights of stairs, pushing the thought of her brilliant green eyes out of his head. Why did she have to plague his mind? Why did Lily, one of the most evil Slytherins out there, have to be the prettiest girl in the entire year, with her dark red hair falling softly around her shoulders, with her clever smirk and glittering eyes? Why?  
  
Finally, he reached the Gryffindor Tower and, after muttering the password in an undertone to the portrait door, he clambered in and marched over to where Sirius was sitting at a desk, scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment, all alone in the big room, with the fire still burning cheerfully away.  
  
"Damn this! How am I supposed to write a three page essay when it's nearly one in the morning?" Sirius cried angrily, running a hand distractedly through his black hair, cursing his usual profanities under his breath. James came over and threw himself in a chair, glaring at the fire as though it was Lily herself.  
  
"Hey, James, did you do this essay?" Sirius asked, flipping through a huge book next to him.  
  
"Oh, on that stupid goblin rebellion? Yeah, it's up in the dorm, if you want to get it," he said drearily. Sirius looked up, his brown eyes searching across James' face.  
  
"Well, who was it? Who had the cloak?"  
  
"Some Hufflepuff," James blurted out before thinking about what he said. He was glad he lied, though. Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, she said she found it on the ground in the hallway and..um, just wanted to give it to me in person, I guess," he murmured. To his surprise (and relief), Sirius laughed.  
  
"Yeah, well that's what happens when you're the most popular guy in school," he said, again looking down to write, smiling.  
  
"Not in school," James murmured, and Sirius snorted.  
  
"You're pretty close, man. If we ever have a ball, just drop something else and you'll have a date in no time," he joked, and James grinned. It was true; James was incredibly popular, but only Remus and Sirius were his close friends. It seemed as though everyone else just liked him because of his outward appearance, his smartness and skill at Quidditch. Of course, he couldn't complain. And perhaps his popularity would get him a little closer to Lily..  
  
"Hey, I'm going up to bed," James said. Sirius nodded, his smile disappearing, replaced with a frown.  
  
"Yeah, go ahead. I'll probably finish this when it's time for breakfast," he mumbled. Giving his friend a sympathetic smile, James turned and headed up the stairs for his dormitory, again trying to rid the thought of Lily from his mind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lily walked aimlessly through the hallways, not looking at where she was going, rounding a corner whenever she felt like it, the torches flickering eerily on the walls.  
  
He had kissed her. James Potter, easily one of the most handsome boys in the entire school, had actually kissed her. She knew she was popular, and she had at least a handful of good boys groveling at her feet, doing anything to go on just one Hogsmeade trip with her. She liked being up on top on the popularity scale; she could turn anybody down, and not feel sorry for them. It was their problem if they wanted to go out with one as superior as her.  
  
Again, the memory of the kiss lingered in her brain, and she found herself shivering again. She had certainly been kissed before; once, in second year by Augustus, before he fell head-over-heels for Claire, and she was left in his dust. One time last year, Lucius had gotten terribly close, but she had shamefully chickened out and fled before he got the chance.  
  
But this second-long kiss had been different from the other ones. She had felt warmth, and oddly, she regretted slapping him. It had been odd, him just coming right up and pressing his lips to hers when they were having an insult-war. But still, she'd just have to forget about it. It was his problem if he was always horny.  
  
She rounded another random corner, sighing, and looked down the long hallway. She saw someone up ahead, walking slowly and immediately recognized the slouched figure and rather greasy black hair.  
  
"Severus?" she called, jogging slowly to catch up with him. He turned around and stared at her for a moment, and then smiled a smile that hardly complimented his features.  
  
"Ah, Lily, there you are. What are you doing out at such a late hour?" he asked, his sharp black eyes boring into her own green ones, but she looked back defiantly.  
  
"I might ask you the same question, Snape," she spat. He sighed, his shoulders drooping even more.  
  
"Dear Lily, I was looking for you," he said. She stared at him, slightly disgusted. Dear Lily? What the hell was he talking about?  
  
"And why, might I ask? I'm fifteen; I can take care of myself, thank you," she said slowly.  
  
"I know, I know, don't think I'd insult you. Oh, no, never. Well, your friend Avery said that she didn't know where you were, and I didn't want you wandering around at night-"  
  
"Snape!" she suddenly shrieked. "You are not my father! Why do you care where I was? I don't need you stalking me, trying to be helpful! I don't need you around!" he took a step back, sighing, looking annoyingly wistful.  
  
"Lily, you must understand, it was for your own good-"  
  
"I realize that, but I don't need you caring about my own good!" she yelled. He stared at her and suddenly, impulsively, leaned forward, to kiss her. His lips were centimeters away from hers when she staggered back and slapped him, with twice as much power as she had done to James. He stumbled away and turned back to her, the previous love-struck look in his eyes replaced by hate as they glimmered with sudden malice.  
  
"You'll pay for that, Evans," he hissed suddenly. She glared at him.  
  
"Oh, yeah, sure! Like you could do anything to me. I have people to back me up; you're just off alone on your own, Snape! Don't ever think about kissing me again," she spat, her dark red hair swirling around her shoulders like shadowed fire as she shook with anger and disgust.  
  
"Blackmail, Snape, its all blackmail." And with that, she whirled around and stalked back around the hallway, still shaking.  
  
So, two people had tried to kiss her that night. One had succeeded, one she was now enraged at. Both she had slapped; both had deserved it. One slap she felt bad about. One she wished she could repeat whenever she wanted to. And now, she felt differently about both people; one in a good way, the other quite the opposite.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Authors Note- Hope ya liked that. I felt like trashing Snape. Eh well, BlondieChild's signing off- look to DracosDramaQueen for the next update! Leave a review, please! 


	6. Don't get all First Amendment on me now

Disclaimer- If you sue us, honestly you won't get anything. We're poor.  
  
Author's Note- I have a request for more Lupin. I give you. Thee sixth!  
  
CHAPTER SIX  
  
Lily's hand shook as she raised the silver fork to her lips. The circles around her eyes were minute, (especially because of gobs of cover-up expertly applied by Yvette, an adoring third-year Hufflepuff), but still there. From the moment she had walked in the Great Hall, Claire had noticed.  
  
"Lils," she said haltingly. "You sure you're okay?" Lily slammed her fork down, causing a sphere of chatter to die down around her.  
  
"Yes!" she screamed, glaring at her best friends. In the confrontation, Kate had rushed over from the Ravenclaw table. (She had been talking to her sister.) The panting Slytherin laid a hand on Lily's arm.  
  
"Lily, come now. We all know you snuck out last night with an invisibility cloak, and came back without one. Lucius and Severus were out on the same night." Suddenly suspicious, she withdrew her hand. "I know what you're capable of, Lily, but not a threesome? Especially with Snape?" Lily, working her face furiously, finally gave up and laughed.  
  
"No! Sinistra, I would never-" she cut off suddenly, making a garbling sound in her throat that could have been a growl. Kate and Claire turned and knew why.  
  
James Potter, flunked by the inevitable group of Gryffindor friends, had appeared from out of nowhere. The hush that fell over the Hall was far vaster than it had been a moment ago. The silence was complete only a moment, for a suppressed buzz broke out a second later.  
  
Instead of the usual sneer that accompanied his all-too-big head, James was wearing an almost concerned look. Claire and Kate's mouth immediately turned up in identical sneers, but Lily's face remained passive.  
  
"May I talk to you?" directed James to Lily. He glanced about the tight- knit group surrounding him and his conversation aim. "I mean, privately?" Lily hesitated a moment small enough that not even Claire and Kate noticed, and let out a derisive snort. She stood, waving the hall's silence with a single sweep of her manicured hand.  
  
"Ja- Potter wishes him and me to have a PRIVATE little chat!" she said in an amused voice that only had to be raised slightly. "Should I?" there was a whole-hearty 'NO!' from roughly half the students in the Hall. She smirked triumphantly, folding her arms across her chest.  
  
For a moment her smile faltered, for behind James a group was growing. Rough Gryffindors, a few Ravenclaws, and a handful of Hufflepuff. Had she known that behind her a similar assembly was grouping, she would have been much more confidence in her next jeer.  
  
"I see you're madly in love with me, Potter. Why else would you want to go and knock me in the broom closet?" her voice was sing-song and tormenting, and James's face went an ugly puce. He struggled with emotions and drew one conclusion: last night had meant nothing. With an almost audible sigh, he lifted his shoulders in a shrug.  
  
"That's not what you said last night," the comment was simple and heavy with sarcasm. James set his mouth in a triumphant line. It was Lily's turn to flush at the cat-calls and whistles from James's side and mutinous mutterings from her own. She opened her mouth to say something, decided against it, and slapped James with all her might.  
  
This was not a soft love-slap, or even a disgusted-with-herself slap like it had been last night. It wasn't even a Snape-slap, which was powerful enough. No, it was full-fledged hate-slap, and it left a bright red welt on the side of James's face. With a roar, the Gryffindors and Slytherins sprung to action, jumping on one another like animals. Numbly, Lily wondered why the teachers at the head table were not interfering when a voice, loud and strong, washed over the crowds of fighting students like a wave.  
  
"Stop it! Stop it, all of you!" James didn't recognize the voice at first, and then its familiarity registered in his brain. He groaned.  
  
"Remus, you fool!" he said in undertone, so that no one would hear him. His fellow Gryffindor continued.  
  
"The teachers step out for a second, and look at you all! We're supposed to be students, not savages." The remark had little or no effect on the frozen student body, so Remus tried a different approach. "James, I'm ashamed. You Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs, I'd expect better." The statement laced with insults for the Slytherins nearly set off the fighting once more, had it not been for the Headmaster walking in at that very moment.  
  
His blue eyes sparkled dangerously as he clapped his hands together. "Some sort of ritual, Mr. Lupin?" he said in a highly-trained voice.  
  
"YES SIR," his magnified voice made Dumbledore flinch, so Lupin whispered the counter spell. "I mean, yes sir." In a flurry of limbs, Gryffindors detached themselves from Slytherins, and Slytherins removed closed fists from Gryffindor body parts. Dumbledore's eyes glittered again.  
  
"And now you're finished, correct, Mr. Lupin?" Remus nodded meekly. It was obvious the Headmaster knew everything that had happened from his tone, and from the fact that he had always called Remus by his first name. "And you and your friends are going to help clean it all up?" Again, Remus nodded.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sirius groaned, swiveling his arm around in its socket. He sported a generous black-eye and a slit of a scab on his lip.  
  
"That Dumbledore-" he began, before Remus chided him.  
  
"Don't you dare say anything against Dumbledore! You know he could've suspended, even, (dare I say it), expelled us!" he shuddered. "And then all- " he looked furtively around. "Our, er- experiments would be for naught."  
  
Sirius cuffed Remus on the back, lightly. "Our Remus, the peace-maker." He paused. "I still can't believe he made us clean it up. That's what the house-elves are for, after all-"  
  
"Sirius!" said Remus hotly. James, seeing the beginning of a Gryffindor brawl, cut in hastily.  
  
"You two stop! Remus is right, Sirius. Besides, if you're mad at anyone, be mad at me." Remus and Sirius both snapped out of each other's gazes to look at James. Remus quirked his head and Sirius spoke up.  
  
"That's right," James's best friend said carefully. "What was it all about, anyway? I know you wanted us to stay out of it and all, but we had to escort you to the Slytherin table. Lily, James? Honestly." Sirius shook his head and laid a hand on James's shoulder. "What did you want with her anyway? And what did you do with her last night?" The last comment was made in jest, but James shook Sirius's hand off violently.  
  
"Nothing! None of your damn business. We did nothing." Remus stared, and Sirius folded his slender arms across his chest. Both friends knew that James was in one of his 'moods.' They looked at each other knowingly and left the fifth year boys dormitory, going down to the common room.  
  
James flopped onto a bed. Lily Lily Lily. He couldn't get her out of her mind. Running a hand distractedly through his messy hair, he sat up. Why had he done what he did last night? Did he even want to? She was a Slytherin! She was so beautiful. But she was a conceited wench! But she hadn't seemed so last night. Head swimming, he lay down once more, closing his eyes and willing sleep, even though it was only 7:45.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The dormitory was dead silent. Lily glared at Kate with something remarkably like hatred. When she spoke, it was just above a whisper. "WHAT did you say?" she hissed in a deadly tone. Kate mumbled something Lily couldn't understand, and Lily almost slapped her. "Speak up!" she roared at her best friend. Kate quivered.  
  
Claire stepped in. "You know, Lils, she might have something there." It was brave, but even Claire withered under the stare Lily gave her. As if on queue, Kate picked up where Claire left off.  
  
"He's handsome, and popular, and you're single-" Kate stuck her chin out stubbornly. Persistence was her most aggravating attribute, but it came in handy when dealing with a moody Lily. "Lily Potter. It even sounds good!" Claire and Kate giggled mercilessly while Lily growled. "Not saying you'd ever go so far as marrying him. But still, Lily-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" roared Lily, getting hot in the face. "How could you ever THINK such a thing! He's a GRYFFINDOR, Sinistra! And you, Avery, stop giggling. You're not much better! Get out. OUT!" Lily whipped out her wand and Claire and Kate stopped snickering at once. The swiftly flitted out of the room. Lily was deadly with her curses.  
  
Lily sank prettily into her acid-green four-poster. "Lily Potter." she murmured, and almost slapped herself. Why had he kissed her? Had he even wanted to? He's a Gryffindor! But he's so handsome. But he's big-headed! But he hadn't seemed so last night... Her heart racing, she pulled her covers over her body. She closed her eyes but knew sleep wouldn't come any time soon.  
  
Author's Note- *cackles mercilessly* Like that, don't you, my chickadees? I knew you would! I'm the MARVELOUS MAD MADAME MIM! I mean, DracosDramaQueen. So, I finished chapter six. Five pages! Wow! I hope that's enough Remus for you, by the way. I can't WAIT to see what BlondieChild does with chapter seven! 


	7. Huuuuuh?

Disclaimer- Yes, we are poor, terribly sorry...you can go sue someone else, though, eh? Someone who hasn't put up their Disclaimer? Ooh, nice, guilty meat.  
  
Authors Note- All right, that was a lovely chapter from DracosDramaQueen, and now it's back to me...I'm slightly braindead right now, but I'm trying. So stay with me here. As in, review every chapter here, thanks.  
  
Chapter Seven (wheee we're here already!)  
  
The next morning, Lily awoke to the sound of someone humming. It was a sweet, buoyant sound, and Lily grasped onto it with her mind, not wanting to surrender her calmness to the chaos of the day. It continued, growing softer and louder, until it abruptly stopped. Lily frowned. Ah, yes, why don't they just go and ruin her happiness, she thought angrily, opening her eyes. The person humming had been Claire, who was standing in front of her full-length mirror, her gold hair piled on top of her head.  
  
"Avery! What were you doing, humming horribly like that, waking me up?" she snapped irritably, sitting up in her bed. Claire whirled around, eyes wide.  
  
"Oh, Ev-er, Lily, I'm so sorry! I've been up for nearly an hour, now, and had nothing better to do than-"  
  
"Wake the entire school up with your lack of skill at singing? And why were you up an hour ago? It's only..." she looked over at her bedside table, where there was a clock. "Seven o'clock!" she cried, turning back to her friend. Claire fidgeted with her robes guiltily. "Do you always wake up at six?"  
  
"Yes," Claire murmured. "I get up early. I can't help it, Lily! It's like my biological clock rings at the same time every-"  
  
"Shut up! I don't care about your biological clock!" Lily screeched, throwing herself out of bed. The carpet was soft but still chilled with the Octbober weather on her bare feet as she walked over to her chest, heaving it open. Mumbling angrily to herself, she sifted through her clothes, finally grabbing-who would have guessed-a clean pair of her school robes.  
  
To her right, Kate was beginning to awake from the noise. She sat up, groggily running a hand through her brown hair, peering around sleepily.  
  
"What's all the noise?" she muttered.  
  
"Shut up," was all Lily said, as she stormed into the bathroom. Kate turned and stared at Claire, who was equally confused.  
  
"What's up with her? What did you do, Claire?" Kate asked, immediately blaming Lily's bad mood on Claire, who seemed to have a knack for annoying people. Claire actually wasn't all that annoying, it was just that Lily was incredibly irritable.  
  
"I didn't do anything, thank you, she woke up just like that," she said flatly, turning back to the mirror and once again running her brush through her hair, resuming her humming as she vainly began to braid her hair for the day.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
That morning at breakfast, the very air in the Great Hall seemed to be rather tense; perhaps the memories of yesterday were still floating through the tense atmosphere, reminding people of their outbursts, and maybe spurring guilt. Lily sat in her usual seat, grumpily stabbing a pancake mercilessly and then waving it through the air, letting it flop down onto Claire's plate. Claire hardly noticed; she was stuffing bacon into her face at a speed that was hardly natural.  
  
"My god, you're going to get horribly fat some day, you know that?" Kate said as she picked at a piece of her roll with her painted fingernails.  
  
"Not like you don't remind me every day," Claire retorted thickly, mouth still full. "And I won't get fat, I have a fast metabolism." She seemed to swell with pride upon saying this, as though proud of saying such a big word.  
  
"Oh, nice one, retard," Kate snapped sarcastically, eyes glimmering. Claire opened her mouth (which was not a pleasant sight) to reply, but Lily cut in.  
  
"Shut up! Must I hex you both to get you to be quiet? Just give us some peace, here!" she cried, throwing her fork down. It skittered down the wooden table, clattering loudly. Kate and Claire fell silent.  
  
Just then, Lily looked up, her emerald-green eyes surveying the Hall. People were pigging out, as they usually did during breakfast, and getting fat, if she might add. She lazily looked over to the Gryffindor table, with no real intention, but of course saw James, Sirius and Remus sitting together, bent over a piece of parchment, talking in hushed voices.  
  
At once, she was suspicious. What were they doing? She watched as Sirius said something rather loudly and James immediately hushed him, stuffing the paper under the table as a few other Gryffindors looked their way at the sudden noise. When the people turned their heads again, they drew out the paper and continued looking at it, nodding, pointing their fingers at it.  
  
"What are they doing?" Kate asked, who had followed Lily's gaze, and was watching them.  
  
"I don't know," Lily said, immediately on guard. "I wasn't looking at them, I was watching those guys," she lied, beckoning her hand to a couple a little ways down the Gryffindor table; the boy had ridiculously orange hair, and the girl's hair was rather red, and they were huddled together like fat little birds during a rainstorm. And indeed, the girl was rather plump.  
  
Kate shrugged and returned to picking at her food. Finally, breakfast was over and the students oozed out of the Hall and towards their first classes.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next day was a Saturday, and Lily couldn't be more thankful. She slept in until ten o'clock, missing breakfast completely, but didn't feel like eating anyways. The Slytherin common room was bustling with commotion, full of gossiping and preparations for the upcoming Quidditch match; Slytherin verses Gryffindor. The Slytherins had no doubt that they would win; they had positively slaughtered the Hufflepuffs the week before, and were now tied in the lead with Gryffindor. This one match would pull them ahead, until another house's Quidditch points passed theirs.  
  
The day was dreary and cold, as if a thin, gray blanket had nestled itself firmly over the grounds of Hogwarts, sodden and wet with a light drizzle that lasted throughout the day. Needless to say, this seriously dampened Lily's mood, if that was even possible. Nonetheless, she was looking forward to watching the Gryffindors struggle on the field.  
  
Trudging across the damp grass, she, Kate and Claire murmured softly, their cloaks tight around their bodies, their hoods draped over their heads.  
  
"This sucks, I hate coming out here when it's raining," Claire whined, frowning as the hem of her black cloak dragged in a muddy puddle.  
  
"You can go back inside, Avery, we won't miss you," Lily said acidly, not even looking the other way towards her friend. Claire fell silent as they began ascending the stairs to their high perch on the stands.  
  
They sat there, cramped together in the October cold, grumbling under their breath. Lucius and Severus came over to sit with them, as neither of them were on the team. Augustus and Jack were, though, and Claire was squirming in her seat, waiting to see them on their broomsticks. Kate had to repeatedly tell her to shut up before she fell silent and sat, slumped and frowning.  
  
Eventually, the game began, though it was hardly exciting for Lily. She watched, bored, as the Quaffle was passed from Slytherin chaser to chaser, and grinned as the Gryffindor keeper nearly got knocked out of the air. The Slytherins were winning, Augustus was performing wonderfully, often showing off with pointless little tricks that made Claire squeal and Lily scowl. Sometimes she wondered why she was even friends with that girl. But she does keep your secrets, she thought to herself, and snuggled deeper into her cloak.  
  
But Lily couldn't help letting her eyes wander over to one of the Gryffinor chasers, James Potter. He was currently racing through the air, like a red streak, towards the Slytherin goal posts. She watched, rather stricken with some unknown emotion, as he weaved around more players and skillfully passed the Quaffle to another one of his chasers, and assisted as the Gryffindors scored.  
  
Finally, the game ended, with the Slytherins winning. Lily felt terribly superior as she strutted through the crowds towards the castle, as though she had actually done the work to win. People were cheering the players, clapping them on the back and yelling in their ear, as though they couldn't hear, while the Gryffindors slumped away, looking dejected, dragging their feet through the grass.  
  
Lily was walking away, anxious to get inside, when she saw James wandering away, his broomstick hanging limply over his shoulder. She stopped abruptly, causing Kate to crash into her.  
  
"Hey! Watch out!" her friend cried, but Lily didn't care. She turned around, her eyes suddenly glimmering.  
  
"Go back inside, I'll be there in a little while. I just want to talk to someone," she said, and marched away towards James. She rushed past him, grabbing his arm as she did so and dragging him around the corner of the building, where they were concealed from sight. He stared at her and jerked his arm away when they stopped, massaging it, leaning his broomstick against the wall.  
  
"What was that for?" he asked, frowning. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking pointedly at him, looking rather smug.  
  
"I want to know why you wanted to talk to me the other day," she said. He looked confused for a moment, and then blushed a little, to her surprise.  
  
"Oh, that. It was nothing. Forget it." He attempted to turn and walk away, but she grabbed the back of his scarlet Quidditch uniform and pulled him back.  
  
"No, I want to know what you were going to say. I'm not going to let this go easily, you know." He turned around and rolled his eyes, much to her annoyance, but said nothing. "Come on, now, talk. Patience isn't one of my virtues," she said.  
  
He grinned. "Well, you have so few of them, I wouldn't waste your time worrying about that one." His blue eyes glimmered and her green ones narrowed.  
  
"Oh, that sure was smooth, Potter," she spat. "I bet you spent all night thinking that one up. Now, tell me!"  
  
He sighed and shrugged. "Sure, fine. You're not going to be incredibly excited, though. I just wanted to apologize for what I did the other night. I probably scared you," he said calmly, though his insides were squirming with nerves and he felt as though his head was going to explode.  
  
"Scared me? You freaked me out!" she shrieked, and his eyes widened.  
  
"Yeah, and you just happened to slap me for it, you know!"  
  
"Well you deserved it!"  
  
"Okay, maybe I did, but you sure as hell don't seem to be regretting it," he snapped.  
  
She stared at him. "What? Where did you get that? God, you're so thick sometimes!" she yelled, waving her arms around, her deep red hair in bouncing on her shoulders, making James feel even more queasy.  
  
"Never mind! I don't care any more about you, Evans! Let's just pretend that we never cussed each other out, that I never kissed you, that you never slapped me, that I never embarrassed you in front of everybody in the Great Hall, and that you never slapped me again."  
  
She just watched him, her emerald eyes watching his every move.  
  
"Fine. Agreed. I'll just completely forget all about you," she said, though her mind was telling her that that was far easier said than done. Strangely, he seemed to be thinking the same thing, as he looked at her, his exasperated expression softening, making Lily's heart flutter as his features melted into perfect handsomeness.  
  
"Are you sure?" he suddenly whispered, surprising her, though pleasing her all the same. And she smiled softly, her former icy appearance suddenly completely gone as her heart thudded in her chest.  
  
"No." She smiled again. "Let's forget I ever said that." And then, knowing she couldn't possibly refuse, he leaned forward and kissed her, his slightly wind-chapped lips pressing against her soft ones, as she felt herself practically melt underneath him, in his strong grasp. And she didn't refuse him. In fact, she rather welcomed him, as odd as that may seem.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sirius watched glumly as the red and orange flames danced in the hearth of the common room, their slender bodies twisting, leaping and shrinking, merging into each other, casting eerie shadows across the carpet floor. They reflected in his dark, unblinking eyes, trying to cheer him with their act, though they weren't exactly what he needed right then.  
  
He turned his head slowly to see James sitting, reading a book for Defense Against the Dark Arts class, drumming his fingers cheerily on the arm of his plush chair. He looked perfectly happy for some reason, and it was irritating Sirius.  
  
James looked up and met his friend's eyes, but Sirius looked quickly away, confusing James. Suddenly a snore cut through the awkward silence and both of them looked over to a couch where Remus was lying, sprawled out, his chest rising and falling peacefully. The shadows of the fire leapt across his face, making him seem all the more pale and gaunt.  
  
"Why are you so sad, Sirius? You seem awful serious," James said. He paused for a moment, and then burst into insane laughter. "Get it? Sirius? Serious? They're like...the same!" he threw his head back and cackled loudly, pounding the chair in his glee. He looked back to his friend, still laughing, though they slowly subsided at Sirius' frown. "What'd I do?"  
  
"Why are you so happy, James?" Sirius asked. James frowned suddenly, confused.  
  
"Why does it matter? Aren't I allowed to be happy?"  
  
"Well of course," Sirius snapped, clearly annoyed, "but not when you just lost a Quidditch game."  
  
James stared at his friend. "So? We lost, so what? We've lost a game before. At least it wasn't my fault and...why does it matter if I'm happy?"  
  
"It doesn't! It's just, well, why are you happy? Nothing happiness- worth has happened today, which is why I'm rather not happy, and yet there you are, bouncing around with glee. If something is worth such radiance then maybe you should tell me."  
  
At once, James swelled with importance, though knowing that he couldn't possibly tell Sirius about he and Lily's infatuation for each other, even though they were as close as friends could get. "Nothing happened. I'm just happy, for some reason," he said softly, not really wanting to get into an argument.  
  
But apparently, Sirius did. "God, James! Why won't you just tell me?"  
  
"What are you, a control freak? I don't have to tell you anything! What if I don't want to tell you? Ooh, Sirius, I bet that's a big surprise. James Potter not telling his best friend why he's happy? Oh, god, shield us all!" he yelled sardonically, blue eyes flashing. Sirius was fuming now.  
  
"Well what'd you do, go screw one of your stalkers after the game?"  
  
James eyes widened with fury. "WHAT?" he yelled. "One of my stalkers? Excuse me, no one stalks me, and I'd never screw one of them, you sick bastard!"  
  
"Oh, you don't have stalkers, eh? What about all those girls who follow you around, groveling at your feet, basking in your incredibly Glory of Potterness, huh? You've got everyone at your beck and call, you can get any girl in your bed with the slightest little wink in their direction! Think about us, once in a while!"  
  
"Oh my god, Sirius. I don't know where you're getting all this crap. I'd never do that, and I do not have girls-"  
  
"Oh yeah? There's a James Potter fan club," Sirius said acidly, standing up. James gawked at him. A fan club? He actually wanted to laugh at the thought.  
  
"Well...well..." he stammered, not finding anything to say. Sirius laughed a sharp, short laugh that hurt James' ears.  
  
"Guys?" a meek voice suddenly said. They turned around to see Remus sitting up, staring at them, his light brown hair tousled, his eyes heavy from sleep. "Why are you yelling? What's the problem?"  
  
James rolled his eyes, pointing at Sirius. "It's him. He got all mad at me for being happy. Happy! Damnit, what the hell's there wrong with being happy?" he yelled, his voice raising involuntarily as he glared at Sirius.  
  
"He won't tell me anything!" Sirius yelled. "Nothing! Has he told you- "  
  
"SIRIUS! I have NOTHING to TELL!" James roared, leaping out of his seat, his eyes looking strangely red in the firelight. Sirius opened his mouth to scream back when Remus leapt in between them, holding out his arms, as though bracing himself for a fight.  
  
"Guys! Chill out, I'm sure this is nothing but a little brawl...from what I can tell, it sounds like James has nothing to tell, Sirius. He's just being happy, and he wouldn't keep secrets from us, that's absurd," he said wisely in his calm, slow voice. Just the sound of it soothed James, but he wanted to hex Sirius so badly his fingers were aching to grab his wand.  
  
"Oh, yeah, of course, Remus! Side with James, why don't you? Be one of his followers, grovel at his feet-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" James suddenly screamed pointedly at Sirius. "Just SHUT UP!" Then he whirled around and stalked up the stairs, fuming, as though he had never been this angry in his life. He had no idea what he was angry at. That was the stupidest fight he had ever had in his life. Why couldn't Sirius just leave him alone in his own blissful world of cracking stupid jokes and dreaming of Lily?  
  
Throwing himself onto his bed, he kicked off his shoes and crawled under his blankets, glaring up at the red canopy as though it was Sirius himself. You have no reason to be mad, he told himself. Sirius is just jealous, that's all. Just chill out and it'll all be over in the morning. Just pretend like nothing is going on, like you're not keeping any secrets from your friend.  
  
More shouts from down the stairs told James that Remus' peacekeeping acts hadn't exactly worked on the angry Sirius. It would take more than that to calm him down, though he, too, hardly had a reason to be mad.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Authors Note: Wow! Seven pages! Geez! I just went on a total streak there and wrote five of the pages...sorry if it was too long, if that's even possible. Anyways, hope you liked that. Yes, the argument was stupid and pointless and there was no reason for Sirius to get mad, he was just pissed off. Don't flame me about it, please. ~BlondieChild 


	8. You know Freedom of Speach?

Author's Note: Terribly sorry I haven't been updating. I just. forgot? No, that's a lie. However, I DID write it! And before Clare came back from camp, too.  
  
Lily brushed her hair lovingly, ignoring the fact that the red locks were already silky from the many strokes endured half an hour before. Kate and Claire were gaping, open-mouthed from their beds as Lily hummed the refrain from "Someday my Prince will Come." Finally, Claire felt obligated to speak.  
  
"Er- Lily? Are you alright?" Lily nodded, still dream-like. She was now carefully applying lipstick to her already make upped face. Kate was much more business-like.  
  
"We've seen you happy after beating Gryffindor before, Evans, but never like this." Lily murmured 'Yes of course you did' before applying mascara to her eyelashes. Kate looked flabbergasted. She was sure the "Evans" remark would have worked. Claire spoke up again.  
  
"What we're trying to say is, well, have you.?" she trailed off hopefully.  
  
"You're absolutely right, Claire." Claire. Not Avery. Kate steeled herself for something desperate, and placed herself in front of the mirror.  
  
"She's trying to say have you been seeing anyone." Lily's face lost its' dream-like quality, but she was still smiling.  
  
"Of course not, Kate. Now move aside or I shall be forced to hex you."  
  
~*~  
  
James was still in a foul mood in the morning, and Sirius wasn't any better. Even Remus had stopped peace-making, deciding to sleep in. The two friends parted ways at the portrait of the fat lady, James taking the longer route.  
  
James may have forgotten the previous match, but the rest of the Gryffindors hadn't. They kept throwing malevolent glances at the Slytherin table, while Sirius kept throwing glares at James. He ignored his best friend's looks, choosing instead to screw up his face and look at the Slytherins, failing miserably to look upset when Lily and he made eye contact. Thinking nothing could spoil the happiness of the moment, a whining voice sounded right behind his ear.  
  
"They should have lost." Peter Pettigrew, a bumbling Hufflepuff, timidly sat down next to James. Rolling his eyes, James wrenched his gaze from Lily and forced a revolting smile on his face.  
  
"Of course, Wormtail. Now, if you please-"  
  
"They should have lost, and you should have won. Gryffindor should have won." James sighed.  
  
"But it helps Hufflepuff's prospects overall. You're barely in second place-" he glanced at the hourglasses. "Just ten points and you'll be winning."  
  
"But I want to be in GRYFFINDOR." Peter whined, tugging at a pimple. "With all you guys. My friends!" James wished he hadn't said it. A group of passing Slytherins sniggered appreciatively.  
  
"Whatever, Wormtail. Look, I'm kind of bus-"  
  
"Where's Padfoot? And Moony?" Peter cut in before James could send him away.  
  
"Moony's asleep, and SIRIUS-" he said the word with emphasis, "-is over there." A sudden idea hit James. "Why don't you go and talk to him? I heard he's dying to tell you something." Not catching the sarcasm, Peter leapt up in delight.  
  
"Okay!" he said, and waddled off to the other end of the table. James silently congratulated himself at getting rid of Pettigrew. He continued to shoot looks at Lily.  
  
"Are you alright?" said a redhead beside him. "You look like you have a stomachache."  
  
~*~  
  
The day dawned bright and clear, much to the delight of the Herbology Professor, a woman named Sprout. She was young, energetic, attractive, and fresh out of Hogwarts.  
  
James was giggly; they had double Herbology with the Slytherins. Og, the gamekeeper, passed him by and shook his head, telling his assistant, Hagrid, to hurry up.  
  
Professor Sprout unlocked greenhouse 4, ushering the fifth years inside. Had Lily taken her mind off James, she would have realized that there was no conversation going on around her, from either side. The air was strangely tense as the door latched shut behind them, the sunlight seemingly stopping at the glass. Professor Sprout was the only unchanged element in the greenhouse.  
  
"Come on, chaps, buck up! Venomous Tentaculas today! Can anyone tell me where they originate?" There were a few scattered hands raised among the students. Neither Lily nor James had their minds on plants. It was Sirius who answered.  
  
"Brazil, mostly. But other parts of South America as well." James was brought back to the greenhouse with a painful jolt. Sirius was smirking in his direction, so James put his hand up for the next question. Unfortunately, it was a Slytherin that answered. Sirius's smirk grew. James stretched his hand higher, welcoming the challenge Sirius had unwittingly gotten himself into.  
  
The battle raged on, both James and Sirius winning immeasurable points for Gryffindor in the process. Professor Sprout loved it, thinking of harder and harder questions for her pupils.  
  
James had just answered a particularly tricky question about the breeding habits of Tentaculas when he caught Lily's eye. She looked disgusted, and refused to hold contact. James bit his lip, holding her in his gaze a moment too long.  
  
Sirius had seen.  
  
James barely had time to register that thought as Professor Sprout's perky voice cut across his daydreams.  
  
"Potter, what was the primitive name given to Venomous Tentaculas?"  
  
'Spiky Deathtraps,' James thought. He gritted his teeth. "I don't know," he heard himself say. Professor Sprout was shocked, but Sirius was beyond that. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open.  
  
"Excuse me, Potter?"  
  
"I said I don't know the answer, Professor," James said more firmly. Professor Sprout hadn't been ready for this.  
  
"Then I suppose. Black, do you know the answer?"  
  
"Spiky Deathtraps," Sirius replied, without a single smirk or trace of triumph in his voice.  
  
"Right. class, if you'll please turn to page 30." the rest of the class passed slowly. James and Sirius had taken half-an-hour of the class's time, and the Slytherins weren't apt to forget it.  
  
~*~  
  
Quidditch practice went terribly. The whole team was angry about the match and were performing terribly. Only James seemed unfazed, though he was missing just as badly as the others. He had slipped Lily a note in the fray of leaving Slytherins and Gryffindors, telling her to meet him at the edge of the Forbidden Forest at 8'o'clock. Practice ended at 7:30.  
  
Hurrying toward the allotted spot with broom slung over his shoulder, he checked his watch. 7:57. He swore and urged his feet on, coming to a halt sweating and panting. He tugged at his lip; she wasn't there. Checking his watch again, he realized he was being stupid. Five minutes late was nothing! She was probably making up some story to get out of the Slytherin common room. Yes, that was it. James settled down to wait, resting his back against a tree.  
  
Ten minutes later found no change to the situation. James pursed his lips irritably and stood, running a hand through his hair. Was she coming at all? He thought angrily, before pushing that thought to the back of his mind. Deciding he'd wait five more minutes, he heard a shriek and a black blur pushed him over!  
  
James scrambled up, hotness running through his veins. He groped for his wand only to realize that the culprit had his, or rather HER, arms still around James. His face broke into a smile and he kissed Lily fiercely.  
  
As if suddenly realizing was she was doing, Lily let go and grinned at James in an embarrassed sort of way. She mumbled an apology before James took her in his arms again and kissed her. And then Lily was gone, swimming in a world she thought she had lost long ago. She emerged once to dimly hear James' question of why she was late.  
  
"Friends. Excuses," she unglued her lips long enough to say, before plunging back in.  
  
James drew Lily deeper into the forbidden forest, ensuring their privacy. Half-an-hour later, James gently drew apart from Lily.  
  
"Lily, he said, breathing her name in a sort of reverence."I have to go. Sir- Remus will be waiting for me." Lily glanced at him reproachfully, and then bowed her head in submission.  
  
"Alright, James," she whispered, slipping out of his arms and out of the forest. James shook his head and made his way to Gryffindor tower.  
  
~*~  
  
James finally got there, having been berated severely by the Fat Lady. Ignoring the portrait's protests, James scrambled in and breathed again. There had been a couple of close calls with the caretaker. Next time he would HAVE to bring his invisibility cloak. A stupid grin plastered on his face, he made as if to go up the spiral staircase to his dormitory. A single word stopped him.  
  
"So." It was Sirius's voice. 


	9. Vaguely

Disclaimer- Nothing you recognize is ours.  
  
Authors Note- Horrah, another chapter! Thanks to all our lovely reviewers- you're all spiffing, you know.  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
James paused in the portrait hole, looking straight into Sirius's defiant eyes.  
  
"So." Sirius said simply, standing and crossing his arms across his chest. James glared at him, and then walked off towards the boy's dormitories door.  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Sirius growled, and James whirled around.  
  
"Oh no I don't what? Leave because you're being a stupid ass? Not tell you every little piece of news in my life? Oh no I don't go off and 'screw one of my followers?' What, Sirius?"  
  
Sirius stared at him, scandalized. "God, James! I wanted you to stay so that we could sort out this whole f...this whole damn thing!" he cried.  
  
"All right, fine. We can. What do you want to know?" James asked, walking over and sitting down in one of the chairs. His back was rigid against the cloth, and his hazel eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
"Why the hell do you keep sneaking off? Who are you seeing? Why won't you tell me anything?? I've been watching you, I know you have some secret that you're just dying to tell, but are too cowardly to admit it," Sirius burst, waving his arms around for emphasis. James refused to let his mouth explode into the furious fountain of curses that were lingering impatiently upon his tongue. Instead, he just squinted at his former friend, refusing to back down.  
  
"And if I do?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Have a secret, you damn fool!"  
  
"I thought we were friends, James! Just tell me and we'll be fine!" Sirius shouted at him.  
  
"What if I don't want to?"  
  
Sirius's face was turning slightly red with anger. But then suddenly, it was as though he completely deflated. His back and shoulders slumped, his arms fell to his side, and the anger in his eyes dimmed to an odd, ashamed and frustrated glimmer.  
  
"Then don't. I just thought we could perhaps rebuild the friendship we once had, but clearly, I guess not, if your pride is just too big to sink to my level." He turned to walk up to the dormitories and then stopped, turning back. "I guess Snape's right. You're just the most damn arrogant person I've ever met," he spat, and then walked off.  
  
James stared at the dark doorway where Sirius had retreated and then whirled around, his eyes searching the room for anything for revenge. And then he saw a desk with parchment unrolled on it. He stormed over to it and grabbed the parchment. Black, Sirius it said at the top, and as his eyes skimmed over it, he saw that it was Sirius' potion's essay. The one that had to be three feet long, and was due the next day.  
  
Revenge bubbled in his heart as he saw that it was indeed three feet long, and finished. It was full of good facts and references from books that James had never even heard of. Grinning an evil grin, he rolled it up and walked over to the still-crackling fire.  
  
Not pausing to think, he tossed it into the fire and watched as the edges grew black and curled inwards, until the entire thing was charred and burning, and eventually collapsed into weak, black crumbles.  
  
He didn't even feel the slightest bit guilty as he marched over to the couch and, pulling off his sweater, wadded it up and laid down on the couch, using the sweater as a pillow.  
  
And thus, he fell asleep.  
  
~*~  
  
"AAAAAGHH!" The roar exploded into James' ears and he sat up abruptly, his back cracking from his uncomfortable position on the couch. Ignoring the pain, he looked around until he saw Sirius over by the desk where the books and parchment had formerly lay.  
  
"My essay! Where's my essay?" he yelled, opening the books and shaking them out, then dropping to his knees and searching the ground. At last he saw James and stood, marching over to him.  
  
"What did you do to it?"  
  
"Do to what?" James said innocently, though not able to conceal his evil smirk.  
  
"AGH! I knew it, you bastard!" Just then, a few girls, chattering softly, came down from their dormitories, their bags slung over their shoulders. Pausing, they stared at the two boys, confusion written on their faces. "Hey, did you guys come down at all last night?" Sirius demanded, pointing a shaking finger at them. The three girls gasped and their eyes widened, shaking their heads. Sirius let out another shout of fury, turning back to James.  
  
"You did it!!"  
  
"Did what?"  
  
"Shut up and stop lying! You did something to my potions essay! Last night, when I left, and you were still here, all full of your goddamn steam, and-" he paused and turned to the fireplace, where fresh logs lay, ready to be burned for that evening. Turning back to James, his eyes flashed.  
  
"You burned it."  
  
"God, Sirius, no, I didn't!"  
  
"Bloody hell!" Sirius lunged at him, grabbing at the throat of his robes. Gasping in surprise, James threw out a punch that landed heavily on Sirius' cheek.  
  
"You admit it then!" Sirius yelled. "By fighting back, you admit it! You haven't told me you didn't do it!" he cried through ragged breaths. James kicked Sirius' shin and, not bothering to think, turned heel and ran out of the portrait hole, grabbing his bag on the way out that was lying conveniently on the ground. His feet slapped the stone floor as he raced through the halls, his former hunger now completely gone. Acting as though he was blind, he ran to the one place that was considerably far from the Gryffindor tower, and to a place that Sirius wouldn't think to go. The Owlery.  
  
He shoved the door roughly open and staggered in, his feet slipping on the droppings littering the ground. He, James Potter, perfect boy, had punched his best friend, Sirius Black. Why, it was unthinkable! But Sirius started it, he told himself roughly, leaning against the wall. Very suddenly, he heard a crash of metal and the rustle of wings. Looking up, he saw someone lingering against a wall, in the shadows of the early morning.  
  
"Potter?"  
  
He squinted over towards the figure, and suddenly, she emerged into the dim light. His eyebrows raised as he saw someone he had only seen a few times in the halls, next to..someone, he couldn't place who. She was small and blonde, lightly freckled with bright hazel eyes that were watching him carefully.  
  
"Yes, and who are you?"  
  
"Claire Avery. I'm a Slytherin," she stated with a small swell of pride. James nodded.  
  
"So I saw on your sweater," he said simply, crossing his arms over his chest. She smiled. "Why are you here? And why do you look so familiar?" he asked bluntly, peering at her as the sun went under a cloud and cast the room into shadows. A moment later, however, sunlight was back and he saw that she had walked over to a perch and had a simple brown owl on her arm, nipping softly at her ear. She grinned and turned back to him.  
  
"I'm sending a letter to my parents before breakfast starts, so that it'll get there before supper." She took a step towards him and the bird on her arm fluttered its wings distinctly. "And you've seen me with Lily Evans and my other friend Kate." She grinned again, her eyes sparkling. James wondered why she seemed so wonderfully happy when usually the hatred between Gryffindors and Slytherins was a horrible barrier between them that made any kind of fraternizes between them nasty disputes and unpleasant conversations. However, this Avery girl looked excited and yet compressed at the same time, as though she had some reason to not be allowed to be talking to him.  
  
"Figures," he said with a shrug, and suddenly her smile vanished, and she looked very thoughtful as she sent her owl soaring out the window with the letter tied tightly to it's leg.  
  
"Where are your friends?" she asked him, her small smile appearing with a slightly concerned look as well that made her look all the more pleasant.  
  
"Rem...er, Lupin is probably at breakfast, and Black is...well, I don't give a damn," he spat angrily, glaring down at the ground. He heard Claire sigh.  
  
"Yes, I noticed that Black hasn't been with you the past few days," she said simply. He looked back up, staring at her. Did she follow him or something? She seemed to know him awfully well, about his friends and all, when he had never talked to her in his life. And yet, she was rather comforting.  
  
"Oh, yeah, so anyways..." he muttered, feeling slightly awkward. But she didn't look awkward at all. She was staring out the large windows, smiling, the sunlight bathing her face and making her gold hair shimmer.  
  
"What happened between you two?" Again, she surprised him with her blunt way of asking questions as though she was already good friends with him. James shrugged awkwardly.  
  
"I dunno, just a stupid fight..."  
  
"You know, you really shouldn't risk such tight friendships over something stupid. You never know what you have until you've lost it," she informed him wisely, locking her eyes into him. And suddenly, he realized how terribly right she was. It was like a kick to the stomach; Sirius had never done anything to him. He had burned his friend's essay and completely ignored him. In normal circumstances, James would have eagerly told his friend everything, and Sirius would have listened and laughed with him, practically scheduling his next date. Sirius would have loved the whole inter-house relationship, especially when it was with the Queen of all Slytherins.  
  
It was then when he realized how very close to him Claire was. He could see all the little brown flecks near her pupils in her eyes, and see the small smile that twitched at the edges of her lips.  
  
"Don't worry, James," she whispered to him, and it sent shivers of confusion up his spine. "Sirius doesn't need to know about this." And with that, she kissed him, full on the lips. It took a moment for James to react, but he certainly didn't kiss her back. She pulled away and smiled at him, looking horribly satisfied.  
  
"Ah, Claire...um, I really should get going," he muttered, making his way to the door. But Claire wouldn't stand for that. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him into another kiss. And just then, the door flew open and the most unexpected (and unlucky) person marched in, chattering to her other friend.  
  
James shoved Claire away and gasped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Lily shrieked in surprise and stared at the two of them, her quick brain piecing the image of James' lips stuck to Avery's. But then, if she acted too scandalized, her relationship with James would be at stake.  
  
"Avery? What are you doing here?" she asked incredulously, ignoring James completely.  
  
"Wh-what are you doing here?" the confused Claire spat back. Lily looked disgusted.  
  
"Well, excuse me for coming to deliver a letter! I really think we should go to breakfast now," she said quickly and shoved Claire out the door. Before she marched out the door, however, she threw James a look of such disgust, hatred and disappointment that it made James want to sink to the floor and become invisible.  
  
~*~  
  
"So please, Avery, if you would be so kind as to explain what was going on?" Lily asked, her voice quivering slightly as she filled her goblet with orange juice at breakfast. Claire blushed and pushed her bacon around in circles on her plate.  
  
"Nothing, Lily.."  
  
Lily slammed her fork down and glared at her friend. "If you don't tell me, I will completely leave you in the dust of our friendship and you can go wallow in your own stupidity and pride, but not after I have hexed you enough to make you as positively ugly as possible and no one will want to look at your disgusting face," Lily spat (literally) leaning across the table and glaring Claire with eyes that looked as though they could belong to a dragon.  
  
"Yeah, and why the hell with James?" Kate cried from next to Lily. Claire shrank back.  
  
"I was jealous..." she whispered. Lily said nothing, waiting for her to continue. Claire sighed heavily. "I was jealous of you, Lily. I knew you had some secret thing going on. It's what's been making you so happy and all," she said defiantly, looking up into Lily's eyes. "I wanted something too. Something to be happy about. You've just been ignoring Kate and me, and I think James is rather cute, and it didn't look like he had a girlfriend, so I just sort of...went for it, you know? Even though he isn't in the same house, I didn't think that would matter. I thought that maybe by me doing that I'd sorta be brave..."  
  
Lily looked like she was going to explode, but she didn't. She took a few deep breaths and leaned in again so that she didn't need to display her secret to the whole school. They were at the end of the table, though, rather alone, so she didn't feel like she needed to worry about that.  
  
"Avery, my dear, I can't believe how thick you are. It took Kate two days to figure out who my secret 'lover' is. And sure, I confirmed it, waiting for you to figure out." She paused. "It's James, you loser. James and I have been, well-together for quite some time now," she said, sinking back into her seat with a sad look on his face.  
  
Claire looked scandalized and she clapped a hand to her open mouth. "What? Oh, Lily, I'm so sorry!" And she truly looked it, with tears quivering in her eyes. "If you would have only told me.."  
  
But Lily didn't look satisfied. She glared at Claire still. "Did he kiss you back?"  
  
"Yes," Claire said before thinking. Immediately, Lily looked furious again.  
  
"Oh, that damn bastard!" she hissed to Kate, who nodded fervently.  
  
"You really should dump him, Lily," Kate assured her. "He doesn't deserve you. He's all pumped up on pride and arrogance that he doesn't realize what he's done to you." Lily looked as though she might cry, but she nodded too.  
  
"Yes. It's his damn fault." She turned back to Claire. "Did he kiss you first, or you kiss him?"  
  
"Oh, I-" she started, before pausing to think. If she said that James had kissed her, Lily would dump him. And James would no doubt come to her, looking for some sympathy, since Sirius had abandoned him and Remus was always ill and such. Feeling awful, she said, "oh, Lily, he kissed me."  
  
Lily gasped and a single tear trickle down her pale cheek. Standing, she grabbed her grab and Kate's hand, marching away from the table defiantly, leaving Claire to indeed wallow in her stupidity.  
  
~*~  
  
Lily stormed through the hallways towards Transfiguration, anger raging inside of her like a wild forest fire. Beside her, Kate was jogging to keep up with her friend.  
  
"How dare he do that? How dare he even think about just...leaving me in the dust?" she shrieked, slamming the wall with her fist as she rounded a corner. "Damnit, I never did anything to him! I'd never cheat on him!" Suddenly she stopped and Kate ran into her shoulder, though Lily paid no heed. Turning slowly, Lily stared into Kate's eyes. "Kate, should I ditch Claire or James? I love James, and Claire too..." she paused, her eyes wide and confused.  
  
"Oh Lily, don't ditch James, because...what if Avery was lying?" They began walking again, both pondering deeply.  
  
"But what if she wasn't lying?"  
  
"I dunno. But even so, Lily, he's a Gryffindor."  
  
"He's a gorgeous Gryffindor. And besides, I like the whole inter- house thing. It's sorta forbidden and dangerous..."  
  
"But what if someone found out?"  
  
"They won't. Kate, I'm positive."  
  
Kate snorted but carefully said nothing to offend Lily. Instead, she insulted James. "Lily, he's so arrogant..."  
  
Just then, a first year scampered by them, his shoulder hitting Lily's side. "WATCH IT, FREAK!" she screamed down the hallway. The first year didn't turn back, but quite obviously began running faster. Lily snorted. "Pathetic little loser. And it was a Hufflepuff, too. I hope someone beats him up," she spat. Kate stared at her, shocked and yet relieved that the love-struck Lily Evans had fled and that the true Slytherin was still there.  
  
Lily turned back to Kate. "What were you saying about arrogance?"  
  
~*~  
  
Authors Note- Ha. I like that ending. Sorry if I made it a little confusing...K-K, I hope you can pick it up and continue with such gorgeousness as you have before. Tatah! ~Clare 


End file.
